Robert Lowry

Robert Lowry (March 12, 1826 – 25 November 1899) was an American preacher who became a popular writer of gospel music in the mid- to late-19th century. His best-known hymns include "Shall We Gather at the River", "Christ Arose!", "How Can I Keep from Singing?" and "Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus".

Born in Philadelphia, Lowry studied at the University at Lewisburg and entered the Baptist ministry in 1854. During the following 45 years he held a number of pastorates in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Between 1869 and 1875 he combined his pastoral work with a professorship in rhetoric at his alma mater, and later served as the University's chancellor. From 1868 he acted as hymnals editor to Biglow and Main, the country's leading publisher of gospel and Sunday School music; under his supervision more than 20 hymnals were produced by the firm, many of wide and enduring popularity.

Despite his protestations that preaching was his main vocation and that music was merely a sideline, it is as a hymnwriter that Lowry is chiefly remembered, ranking with such as W. H. Doane and Ira D. Sankey as one of the originators of a musical tradition that has lasted until the modern era of revival.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 12, 1826 (Philadelphia), Died November 25, 1899 (Plainfield)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1896 - 1949

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 76-100 of 100 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick [Br cat 5099-b] 10-in. approximately mid-1917 Where is my wandering boy tonight Inez Barbour ; Frank Croxton ; Harry McClaskey ; Marie Morrisey Mixed vocal quartet, with organ composer, lyricist  
Brunswick 4694-4695 10-in. approximately Nov. 1920 Christ arose Collegiate Choir Mixed vocal ensemble, with orchestra composer  
Brunswick 11698-11700 10-in. 10/23/1923 Where is my boy tonight? Marie Tiffany Female vocal solo, with mixed vocal ensemble and orchestra composer  
Brunswick 11964-11967 10-in. 11/24/1923 I need Thee every hour Theo Karle ; Marie Tiffany Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Brunswick 13960-13962 10-in. 10/15/1924 Where is my boy tonight? John Charles Thomas Baritone vocal solo and male vocal trio, with orchestra lyricist, composer  
Brunswick E27575 10-in. 5/23/1928 I need Thee every hour Marie Morrisey ; Frank Munn Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Brunswick E30054 10-in. June 1929 Shall we gather at the river Kanawha Singers Male vocal quartet, with organ lyricist, composer  
Brunswick E30168 10-in. 6/20/1929 Nothing but the blood of Jesus Old Southern Sacred Singers Male vocal quartet, with organ composer, lyricist  
Brunswick E4981-E4982 10-in. 5/10/1927 Shall we gather at the river? Dixie Sacred Singers Male vocal trio, with instrumental trio composer, lyricist  
Brunswick E15964-E15965 10-in. 6/15/1925 Shall we gather at the river Homer A. Rodeheaver Male vocal solo, with organ lyricist, composer  
Brunswick E16023-E16024 10-in. 6/20/1925 Shall we gather at the river Homer A. Rodeheaver Male vocal solo, with organ lyricist, composer  
Brunswick E24853-E24854 10-in. 10/21/1927 Where is my boy tonight? John Charles Thomas Male vocal solo and male vocal trio, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Brunswick E25618-E25619 10-in. 12/15/1927 Where is my boy, tonight? Robert A. Gardner ; Lester McFarland Male vocal duet, with guitar and mandolin lyricist, composer  
Brunswick E16023-E16024; E16019 10-in. 6/19/1925 Shall we gather at the river Homer A. Rodeheaver Male vocal solo, with brass quartet and organ lyricist, composer  
Brunswick 689W-690W 10-in. 4/14/1925 Where is my boy tonight Sidney J. Harkreader Male vocal solo, with guitar composer, lyricist  
Edison 816 Not documented 10/16/1911 Where is my wandering boy Irving Gillette Tenor vocal solo and vocal ensemble, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Edison 1056 10-in. 6/5/1912 Where is my wandering boy tonight? Charles Hackett Tenor vocal solo and vocal ensemble, with chorus composer, lyricist  
Edison 4772 10-in. 6/6/1916 Where is my wandering boy to-night Walter Van Brunt Tenor vocal solo and mixed vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist, composer  
Edison 5294 10-in. 1/16/1917 Shall we gather at the river Metropolitan Quartet Mixed vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist, composer  
Edison 8049 10-in. 6/6/1921 I need Thee every hour Metropolitan Quartet Mixed vocal quartet, with orchestra composer  
Edison 10279 10-in. 3/26/1925 All the way my Saviour leads me Amy Ellerman ; Olive Marshall Vocal duet (soprano and contralto), with orchestra composer  
Edison 18213 10-in. 2/3/1928 Christ arose Metropolitan Quartet Mixed vocal ensemble, with orchestra composer  
Edison 18958 10-in. 12/21/1928 Where is my wand'ring boy to-night Vernon Dalhart Male vocal solo, with organ composer, lyricist  
Edison N-112 10-in. 2/3/1928 Christ arose Metropolitan Quartet Mixed vocal ensemble, with orchestra composer  
Edison N-649 10-in. 12/21/1928 Where is my wand'ring boy to-night Vernon Dalhart Male vocal solo, with organ composer, lyricist  
(Results 76-100 of 100 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lowry, Robert," accessed April 16, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103429.

Lowry, Robert. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 16, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103429.

"Lowry, Robert." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 16 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103429

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.